For the last three weeks, Uganda has been gripped by a series of demonstrations against the escalating cost of living. A sudden rise in fuel prices, high inflation rate and increasing cost of basic necessities has left many people questioning the status quo. It was also not helped by the apparent silence from the relevant Government officials coupled by some ill prepared responses by the Information Minister Ms. Kabahumba Matsiko, which alluded to the fact that nothing could be done about the situation by the Government.

This led to a group of opposition politicians to come up with a pressure group called Activists for Change whose aim among others was to push for the plight of those that feel oppressed by the current policies. Their first programme was to launch the Walk to Work campaign aimed at putting in the spotlight the escalating fuel prices that are affecting the people.
In line with the current trends, they quickly took the campaign online and ensured that social media sites like Facebook and Twitter were awash with the information of what they were planning to do, progress reports, Government's response to their initiatives among others. They were also buoyed by the live coverage from mainly the private broadcasting TV and Radio Stations that kept people informed by the minute of the proceedings.
The heavy use of the electronic media became a point of concern leading to the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) – which has now been fused with the Broadcasting council – to ban Live Coverage of the Walk to Work events and a request to Internet Service Providers to block access to Facebook and Twitter in Uganda.
In a letter dated 14 April 2011 from the UCC written by Mr. Quinto Ojok in his capacity as the Acting Executive Director, copied to all Internet Service Providers, he stated that; “...You are therefore required to block the use of Facebook and Tweeter for 24 hours as of now, that is: 14th April 2011 at 3:30pm to eliminate the connection and sharing of information that incites the public.”
The leaking of this letter to the general public caused such an uproar among the social networking circles in Uganda with a one Timothy Sempewo commenting on I-Network (an online community of Ugandans interested in ICTs) that; “... But I must assure you and other media houses that if you must block social sites or any other sites you should completely scrap ICTs from the syllabus of any learning premise and withhold all IT related practises....”
Mark Kaheru, the Communications Manager of Uganda Telecom stated on the same network that; “By the time the letter was delivered, the 24 hour deadline had already expired” effectively giving the impression that his company did not effect the directive as it was time bound.
Following these revelations, it has become apparent to many that the freedom of information can be taken away as long as those in power feel threatened.

UCC Social Media Letter